This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

This is a email I received from Mike House who underwent vein bypass last year. You can read his blog. Look at the first entry.

"Hi Jan,
That is indeed great news. Wow, I’m so glad to hear that. Keep me posted on how it goes.
Seems the risk of venous clotting form CCSVI is much higher than people were realizing, and even after I went through the whole vein reconstruction I have clotted again. Dr. Stone has refused to do it again, so I am going back to see Dr. arata in the hospital next week, same day as you go in, to see how much has clotted and to reopen again using the Bayliss wire and TPA.
For me, the change is night and day. I clotted again about 4-5 weeks ago and I could feel the differences in my legs right away. Affects bladder, bowel, legs, etc. in amazing ways. I’ll be posting a blog update sometime in the next week or so.
Mike"

This is what Deirdre wrote to me. She is the only one to have had the patch surgery. I hope to be the second, on Feb 28.

Comment by Carnegie, Deirdre Diana 2 hours ago

Hang in there, you will get your life back and more. From my experience I have only positives to say ! The surgery part my body went into high speed healing faster than ever. Trust me I have had multiple surgeries and this was the first where I have had zero complications. I am interested in the outcome from you and look forward to hearing all of the positives that you will be able to share.

http://msmikejuices.blogspot.com/
Not so great news from Mike. The vein that was grafted completely occluded and is lost. But he is still a candidate for another vein graft. But Dr. Stone has no interest in pursuing this further, thinking that the risk outweighs the benefit.

Here is what Dr. Arata had to say:

Dr. Arata told me that native veins have small, hairlike pieces that hold the vein in position and help provide the blood and oxygen, but a graft like I had absolutely required the blood to be flowing from the top in order for it to survive. He told me the graft had essentially died and shrivelled up inside my neck. That was worse news.

Mike thinks staying on the anticoagulant longer, perhaps indefinitely, is something that can be done to keep a graft from failing.

I wish it were better news. The small hairlike pieces that Dr. Arata mentions must be the vasa vasorum?

Mike's updated his blog again. http://msmikejuices.blogspot.com/
He's not a candidate for repeat grafting because of two things: the risk that it won't stay open, and the risk that with the existing scar tissue, there might be an inability to control bleeding. I had not heard about that as a risk before with repeat vein grafts. Careful, everybody.

His bypass graft that occluded has been completely absorbed into surrounding tissue. Gone.
His collateral that has been developing is doing well, and that makes me wonder if there might be a way to increase the number of good collaterals in the rest of us?
He's still left with a possible combination surgical/angioplasty stenting option where the surgeon opens up the neck and Dr. Arata stents the vein that way. Not out of options yet, but need to weigh the options carefully.
Best wishes to you, Mike, it has been a long journey.